
Kate is a Melbourne based consultant with over 20 years’ experience in natural resource management. She is a recognised specialist in strategic planning across land, water and biodiversity.
Her key skills and capabilities include development of management plans and strategies. She is adept at assisting clients formulate clear goals and objectives and management actions that are measurable, achievable and realistic. Key skills and capabilities also include project and program evaluation and writing and editing for the natural resource sector.
Her clients include Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs) in Victoria and New South Wales, various local governments, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP), the Environment Protection Authority (EPA), rural water authorities and not-for-profit research and extension organisations.
CONSULTING SERVICES
An experienced project manager, Kate is adept at working through complex issues with stakeholders and specialists who often have conflicting views and ideas. She delivers responsive solutions based on a clear understanding of a client’s needs and thorough analysis of technical, regulatory and community considerations.

Management Plans and Strategies
Kate has extensive experience in the development of management plans and strategies across land, water and biodiversity. She has developed a number of strategies in Victoria for local government, Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), rural water authorities and not-for-profit research and extension organisations.
Strategies typically include an assessment of the natural, social and economic environment and management actions to improve land use and productivity, protect natural assets, and strengthen community capacity and resilience.
Her work is recognised for achieving broad scale agreement between agencies on principles of sustainable land use and development, providing strong strategic direction and clear management objectives.
Kate works closely with consultation and engagement specialists to engage a wide array of stakeholders and establish cooperative partnerships between community, agencies and government.
Project and Program Evaluation
Kate has managed a number of projects within the natural resource sector to provide evidence about the appropriateness, impact, effectiveness and efficiency, of projects and programs.
Project and program evaluations that she has conducted have been supported by a range of public and private land managers, including Catchment Management Authorities (CMAs), rural water authorities, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, Trust for Nature, and the Australian National University (ANU).
Evaluations that she has worked on draw upon field work, surveys and scientific data and reports.
Evaluations recently conducted by Kate include assessment of the implications of grazing management for biodiversity conservation in north-east Victoria as well as a number of evaluations of the irrigation modernisation program in northern Victoria.
Kate has also conducted state-wide projects to identify issues and opportunities for enhancing Catchment Management Authority (CMA) Monitoring Evaluation and Reporting (MER) of land, water and biodiversity.


Writing and Editing
Kate is recognised for her written communication skills and ability to tailor technical information and findings in a way that is clear, interesting and concise.
She is specialised in working with complex subject matter, ensuring logic, reducing complexity and conveying technical concepts to the intended audience without any loss of meaning.
All of the plans and strategies that Kate has written have been released for public comment.
Specific writing and editing expertise includes:
- Plans and strategies
- Technical writing
- Tenders and proposals
- Case studies
- Website content
- Newsletters
- Annual Reports
PROJECTS
Kate is well regarded for her ability to draw appropriately from multiple disciplines, develop practical solutions, and share information in a clear and concise manner. Over the years, Kate has developed strong working relationships with specialists that she typically collaborates with on large multidisciplinary projects. These established networks and relationships provide for strong project outcomes, innovative solutions and smooth delivery of outputs.

Streamlining Statutory Management Plans, Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
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Mallee Dryland Sustainable Agriculture Strategy, Mallee Catchment Management Authority
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Benalla Rural City Community Plan, Benalla Rural City Council
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North East NRM Strategy for Climate Change, North East Catchment Management Authority
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Lake Hawthorn Management Plan, Lower Murray Water, Mildura Rural City Council, Goulburn Murray Water
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Kow Swamp, Lake Hume, Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock Land and On-Water Management Plan, Goulburn Murray Water
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Pyap to Kingston Land and Water Management Plan, Loxton to Bookpurnong Local Action Planning Group
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Lake Eppalock Special Area Plan (SAP), North Central Catchment Management Authority
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Goulburn Broken High Country Rail Trail (GBHCRT) Management Plan, Mansfield Shire Council, Murrindindi Shire Council and Mitchell Shire Council
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Namoi Catchment Action Plan and Communications, Namoi Catchment Management Authority
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Implications of Grazing Management for Biodiversity Conservation and Productivity Outcomes in Threatened Grassy Woodlands of Northern Victoria, North East and North Central Catchment Management Authority
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Landowner Evaluations, Irrigation Modernisation and Connections, Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Program (NVIRP)
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Enhancing CMA Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting, North East Catchment Management Authority (on behalf of all CMAs in Victoria)
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Audit of the Status of Completion of Approved Corangamite Catchment Management Authority Regional Catchment Strategy Activities, Corangamite Catchment Management Authority and Environment Protection Authority
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Review of Regulatory Framework, Risk Assessment, and Recommendation of New Framework for Alternative Water Supplies, Environment Protection Authority, Department of Human Services and Department of Sustainability and Environment
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Land Suitability Assessments and Rural Strategies, South Gippsland Shire, East Gippsland Shire, Wellington Shire, Bass Coast Shire, Local Government and Catchment Management Authorities
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TESTIMONIALS
Shane Papworth
Lake Hume Land and On-Water Management Plan (managed by Kate Lumb at Hyder and consultation an engagement conducted by RDC)
“As project manager I found the Hyder and the RDC team highly professional, but also very easy to work with during the development of the Lake Hume Plan.
This plan, commenced in the midst of the worst drought on record, had significant risks with multiple competing stakeholder interests and agendas and a history of antagonism and mistrust between water managers and lake users.
The engagement process was truly collaborative and the team did an outstanding job in bringing together a very large and diverse array of agencies, community groups and individuals. They could all see their views being considered as the consultations progressed.
The Lake Hume Plan not only met our needs, but achieved broad scale agreement between agencies on principles for sustainable use and development of the lake and surrounding foreshore.”
Mary Munro
Implications of Grazing Management for Biodiversity Conservation and Productivity Outcomes in Threatened Grassy Woodlands of Northern Victoria (managed by Kate Lumb at RDC)
“On behalf of the North East and North Central CMA’s, the North East Dept. of Environment and Primary Industries, the Trust for Nature North East and the Woodlands Project Steering Committee, please accept my sincere thanks for the fantastic work you delivered for the project ‘Improving Threatened Grassy Woodlands of Northern Victoria (2011-13)’.
Your professionalism, attention to detail, thoroughness and application of technical NRM skills has produced an outstanding level of monitoring, evaluation and reporting work in the tight 6 month timeframe.
It is a testament to your group’s dedication that you were able to achieve all the deliverables to a high standard so quickly E.g. The literature Review, the Experts Forum, the new Grassy Woodlands Grazing Monitoring Tool for Northern Victoria, the Surveys and Site Assessments with funded landholders and project staff, and of course the final report tying all the components together. The final report you provided was submitted to the Victorian Government investors in July and is being submitted to the Commonwealth Government investors at the end of this month.
Thanks again for your great work.”
CONTACT
Get In Contact With Kate
If you have any questions or need more information please send Kate a message or call: